Follow these steps on how to restore air conditioning performance courtesy of the Car Care Council:
The tools needed to recharge the A/C system include a charging hose assembly, A/C pressure gauge and R-134A refrigerant. Some recharge kits on the market today even include the hose and pressure gauge as part of their packaging.
1. Locate the low pressure service port under the hood and remove the cap. The low pressure port will always be on the larger diameter aluminum tubing between the air conditioning compressor and the car’s firewall.
2. Start the engine and set the A/C to maximum cold with the fan speed on its highest setting. Shake the can of R-134A refrigerant well before attaching the hose and open the windows and doors of the vehicle.
3. Attach the charging hose to the low pressure port by pulling up on the connector sleeve and then pushing the connector over the fitting and releasing the sleeve. Gently tug on the hose to ensure the connector is locked on the fitting.
4. Some DIY kits have a temperature dial on the charging hose and gauge pack that should be set to the current outside air temperature prior to charging.
5. At this point, check the pressure gauge to get an accurate pressure reading. It is critical that the compressor is running with the fan on its highest setting and the air conditioning at Max Cold. You’ll know the compressor is running by looking at the center of the pulley, which should be rotating and cycling on and off.
6. Begin recharging the system by holding the refrigerant in the upright position, releasing the refrigerant into the vehicle’s A/C system and simultaneously rotating the can between the 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock position during charging. Periodically stop the flow of refrigerant into the system to take an accurate pressure reading. With kits that have a temperature dial, the system is fully charged when the gauge needle reads in the green zone of the pie-shaped area indicated on the temperature dial. CAUTION: Be careful not to overcharge the system.
7. After charging, close the valve on the refrigerant can and remove the hose coupler from the low pressure port, replacing the service cap.
The air conditioner system relies on a number of components to operate effectively, such as the evaporator, condenser and compressor. Like all mechanical parts, these items are prone to wear and regular system servicing helps to protect them from breakdown.
Here are some tips for maintaining a car air conditioner shared by Motoringabout.com.